Padma Bhushan N R Malkani

Biography: Narayandas Ratanmal Malkani

Narayandas a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi Ji was born in the year 1890 at Hyderabad Sindh as the son of Shri Ratnmal Malkani. Ratanmal was a well known name in the Brahma Samaj of the Hyderabad and Sindh. This was a common scene in those days to see Narayandas in company of his father being present at Brahma Mandir for Sunday prayers and social gathering of the samaj.

After completing Matric, [present days S.S.C.] in the year 1905, Narayandas went first to Vadodara [Baroda in those days] and then come to Pune as the student of Fergusen College though he had completed his B.A. Degree as the student of D J Sindh College Kalachi. He studied further and went on get professional degree L. L.B . in 1912.

After completing his education Narayandas, against the will of father, who wants him to start life as the practicing lawyer, opted teaching job at N J High School Karachi. In the year 1913 he got job of Professor of Economics at C B B College in the Muzzafarnagar of Bihar. Famous Gandian Sindhi Social worker Shri Jiwatram Bhagwandas Kriplani [Acharya J B Kriplani] was also working at same institution, this proved to be a life changing point, as before leaving for joining the Non co-operation movement of Gandhi Ji, Acharaya, introduce Narayandas to Gandhi Ji. Later on when Gandhi Ji were in Bihar for initiating Champaran movement this was Narayandas’s house where Gandhi Ji stayed.

As suggested by Mahatma Gandhi Ji, Narayandas joined Assudomal Gidwani [Pricipal] at Gujarat Vidyapeth Ahmedabad in 1920. In the year 1927 Narayandas was appointed as Professor of Economics at Sindh National College Hyderabad. This was almost after fourteen years that Narayandas was back in the Sindh. During the Gandhi Ji’s visit to Sindh in 1928 he was with them.

During the Salt Satyagrah in 1930 Malkani was arrested [Yerwada Jail Pune] and was released only after the famous Gandhi Irwin Pact 1931. He was again arrested in October 1931 and was behind the bars till April 1932. During the Quit India Movement he was arrested in 1942 and was released in 1945. Narayadas utilized these years to write many books in Sindhi and English. He also translated autobiographies of Gandhi Ji and Nehuru Ji into Sindhi language. As an author Narayandas Malkani has credit of 20 Books including his own autobiography “Nirali Zindagi”.

After the partition he was appointed as the Deputy High Commissioner of India at Karachi and took all the major steps and necessary action for smooth & safe evacuation of Hindu Sindhis. After that he also asked to take care of these Hindu Sindhis during their rehabilitation in Rajasthan. He and his family have shifted to Delhi.

He was nominated to Rajya Sabja for the decade from 1952 to 1962 [two terms]. In the 1966 he shifted to Adipur, Gandhidham a township of Sindhis in Kutchh. Government of India decided to take note of unmatched social service of Malkani and his active participation during the freedom movement and honored him with Padma Bhushan Award in 1973. He died in the year 1974.